Border c. 17th century

This narrow textile border was made with woven cotton and embroidery using naturally dyed threads; we can’t be certain when or where it was made, as the museum records it as ‘date unknown.’ However, the aesthetic language of this textile offers potential insight into its origins. The geometric patterning and use of natural dyes align with the textile traditions of communities in Central Asia, such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. This example is less ornate and more primitive than examples typically displayed in museums, making it more likely to be from a rural area. The process of analyzing an object such as this involves researching ethnic textile traditions, consulting anthropological studies of material culture, and comparing technical features with those found in museum collections to better understand this artwork's social and cultural context. Ultimately, this helps to understand the nature of artistic production by women working outside traditional art institutions.